Top-bow clamp.



W. G. KAISER. TOP Bow mum. APPUCATION FILED MAR l9 119111.

Patanted 11, 1917..

INVENTOH WITNESSES:

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"Withhtttm ISEIEt, F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOCHARLES E. BOWEN.

TDP BOW CLAMP.

Patented Dec. 11,, 1917.

Application area March 19, 1917. Serial No. 155,657.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM G. Karena, a citizen oi the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State oflndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Top liowClamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in top bow clamps of that classused for supporting and securing automobile tops when collapsed. Theobject of the improvement is to so construct the device that itssecuring hock will automatically move out of the path of the bowswhenreleased and thus al-- low the top to be raised and lowered quickly andwithout interference by the securing means.

The object of the invention is accom plished by the constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

ll igure l is an elevation of the device in central section;

lhig. 2 is an elevation of the movable hook member;

ll ig. 3 is an elevation of the device shown in a plane at right anglesto that of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a detail view showing a crosssection of Fig. 2 on the line as-m;

lFig. is adetail view showing a cross section of l ig. 1 on the line 31-1 the springs being omitted;

1F lg. 6 is a plan view of the yoke;

li ig. 7 is an elevation of the yoke projected iroin l ig. 6;

l ig. 8 is a plan view of the yoke applied to the hook-member, thesection being the same as Fig. l; 1

i i g. 9 is an elevation of the spring for actuating the hook-member;

Fig. is a bottom plan of the spring shown in Fig. 9'. and

Fig. 11 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 on the line zz thereof.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and having reference now to the same:

i is a hollow bracket casting having bear ings 2 and 3 in its upperportion for guid ance of the hook member 4 that is arranged in thebracket to have both vertical recipro eating and turning movementtherein. The bracket hasalso a laterally projecting cha1nbered extension5 in which is secured a spring supported rest 6, there being a coilspring 7 contained within the extension that acts upwardly against therest. The hollow extension has a series of openings 8 in its upper faceadapted for the entrance therethrough of a corresponding series oflateral projections 9 on the lower end of the rest, the purpose being topermit the introduction of the extending lower portion of the rest intothe extension, so that the rest after its introduction may be turned tonormal position against the pressure of the spring 7 and be secured inthe extension. The lateral projections 9, bear upwardly against theinner face of the extension 5 at points between the openings 8 thereinand prevent unintentional dislodgment of the rest when normallypositioned. Also, from the innerface of the extension extend pendantlugs 10 between which one of the projections 9 normally extends andprevents the restfrom being turned far enough to admit of its withdrawalfrom the extension 5 when held by the spring in its uppermost position.The movable hook-member 4 has in its overhanging portion 11 a cushionl2, and the upper face of the rest 6 has a covering of leather 13, theintention being to hold the bows of the top (not shown) between theleather faced rest and the cushioned hook so as to eliminate scutfing ofthe bows at the respective contact points.

The hook-member 4 has two series of ratchet-teeth 14: and 15respectively. The edges of the. teeth of one series coincide with theedges of the corresponding teeth of the other series, and the two seriesof teeth also extend in planes at right angles to each other.

A throat 16 is made in the shank of the hook-member at a point beneaththe ratchetteeth, the lower webbed portion 17 of the shank being unitedwith the upper portion by the eccentric neck 18. Ayoke 19 having arecess 20 made therein is adapted to extend into the throat and-fit inthe neck so that its periphery will be concentric with the stem of thehook member. The actuating spring 21 has a vertical extension 22 formedat its-'up-- per end adapted to fit into the outer portion of therecessin the yoke, and the lower end of" the spring is formed with a'fiatextension 23 so as to fit in the socket 24 correspondingly shaped in thelower end of 1,249,ese

from the hook-member by applying pressure to its knob whereupon thehook-member thus released will be forced upwardly and also turned by theexpansion and torque actions of the spring :21. Thus, the bows may beraised without interference of the hookmember.

' The shank of the hook-member may be slightly, enlarged at its upperend as indithe bracket 1. By thus forming the spring cated' at 31 sothat it will lit snugly in the its lower; end is anchored so that itcannot turn i'n't'hesocket, while its upper end has connection with theyoke sothat. torsional strain is applied to the spring when the hookmember is: manually turned to securing po-' sition.. The. springQ]:also; acts upwardly againsttheyoke 19 and thus forces the hookmember toits uppermostpositionwhen releasedJ 'Ehe: yokeserves also as a stop tolimit-the upward movement of the hook-4 member :by' coming into-contactwith the lower faceof the bearing 3; V 7

A sliding ratchet extends horizontally 1 into an opening 261 made in thebearing 3 id: is adapted to engage the teeth of one or the other of theseries of'ratehet-teeth lt or 15 accordingly asthe hook member isturned.The outer end of the ratchet has a knob 27 bymcans of which-theratchet-member maybe pressed. from enga-gement with the teeth. AspringflQS acts against the ratchet and holds it normally in. engagementwith the teetho-f' the hook-member; The drift of the teeth Hand 15aresuch when engaged by the ratchet, that, the hook-member may-beforced: downwardly but will= be prevented by the ratchet fromiretractinguntil released.

The bracket 1: may be attached tothe sid'e "ofthe vehicle in anysuitable manner, F or instance:- The bracket may have a perforated lug29: with. a set-screw 80 for attachment-to a stud (not shown) that is;ordinarily: provided? o1r automobiles for the purpose; U

"In using the device thehook-member is turned so that its: overhangingportion will extend? out of the path of the bows, hus allowingthe-latterto be lowered onto the The hook-member is then turnedoutwardly: and forced downwardly so that the bows are held! between therest 6 andthe overhanging portion'of the hook. By applying downwardpressure to the bows and hook-member at the same time, the

spring 7 is: made toyield' somewhat and the ratchet is admitted into:theteeth 14c successively as. the hook-memben is lowered; Vhen manualpressure is withdrawn from the bows, they"are held upwardly against theoverhanging portion of the hook by the spring-pressed; action-of therest. and: are thereby preventedfrom rattling:

v 'Wlhen it is: desired to releasethebowsas in. raising thetop, theratchet: is=disengaged upper. bearing of the bracket when the hookmemberis forced down into idle position. This will have the, effect ofpreventing rattling Vibrations of the hook-member in the bracket.

What I claim is 7 1:. In a device of-the class described, ahollowbracket having hearings: in its upper portion, and: a lateralhollowextension at its base; a hook-member having vertical: andturningmovement in said bracket and having an overhanging portion at itsupper end, the shank of thehook-member having made therein two: adjacentseries of ratchet notches extending respectively in] planes atrightangles to each other; a yoke secured on the: stemv of thehook-member adapted to limit the upward play; thereof; a spring securedat its lower end against turning movement in the lower end: of thebracket and also having COIll'lGCt'lODi with the yoke at its upper endso as to be turned thereby v said spring being also. adapted tobearupwardly against the yoke a. ratchet in: the bracket adapteditoiengage the-teeth of one series-or the other accordingly: as thehook-member is positioned; and a spring supported rest secured i111 thelateral. extension of the bracket.

2; In: a device of the class described, a bracket; a hook-member havingvertical and turningmovement' in the bracket, the stem of thehook-member. having a series of ratchet-teethmadetherein a yoke securedonv the-stem; a ratchet in the frame adapted to engage the teeth inthestem; :1 spring secured at its; lowercnd against turning in thebracket and, having connection at its upper end with the yoke so astoturn therewith and: a rest yieldingly supported at the lower. portionof the bracket.

3. A bracket having a rest at its lower end ;v a hook-member havingvertical and turning movement in the bracket; a spring secured in. thebracket and: being adapted to actuate the hook-member vertically andturn the same out of: securing position; and ratchet mechanism forholding the hoole member in securing positiom 4a In a; deviceof theclass described,. a: bracket having a lateral extension: at its lowerend; a yieldingly supported rest socured in the extension; a hook-memberhaving vertical; and; turning;v movement. in the hi'acket, the shank ofwhich has ratchet- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature teeth madetherein; a ratchet for engaging in presence of two Witnesses. the teethand holding the hook-member in WILLIAM G. KAISER. adjusted positions;and a spring acting to Witnesses:

5 move the hook-member Vertically and turn Meme A. HARTMAN, the same outof securing position. MATH-DA Mnvrimm ttmptet at this taatent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,Washington, D. G.

